Surf hull with dual surf side

ABSTRACT

A towboat hull configured to create a wake shape for wake surfing. The hull sides can create a symmetrical idle side dual wake as the towboat travels through the water. Controlled shaping of the wake is achieved by a flared hull sides that, when moving in a forward direction, propel the water away from the towboat to shape two idle side surf wakes simultaneously on each side of the boat. The improved towboat hull will create the improved dual wake shapes desirable for wake surfing, allowing wake surfers to surf both sides of the wake at the same time.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 63/266,259, filed Dec. 30, 2021, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, including all figures, tables and drawings.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to boat hulls, and in particular to a towboat hull for manipulating water flow to shape various wakes popular in water sports activities.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Towboats are a certain type of vessel used for water sports, such as skiing, wakeboarding, or most recently, wake surfing. Towboats designed for towing skiers in water sports activities, such as wakeboarding, water skiing, or wake surfing, are generally designed with hull bottoms and hull forms that create distinct wake shapes desirable for a particular water sport. Wake surfing is a relatively new water sport, and is a derivative of other water sports such as skiing or wakeboarding. Contrary to other water sports, wake surfers do not ride on a flat wake. Rather, wake boarders require a large, clean wake, formed at either side of the moving towboat. However, desirable characteristics of a wake for wake surfing are vastly different than the characteristics desired by a water skier. Wake surfers prefer to “ride” the cresting wake close behind the boat without the use of a towrope. Traditional water skiers usually prefer a softer and flatter wake, while wake boarders generally prefer a tall wake that can be used as a “ramp” to jump from when crossing the wake behind the boat. Wake surfing is becoming extremely popular, but the desired wake shape for the sport is rather difficult to achieve with traditional boat hulls.

Current towboats with hulls for creating an ideal wake for wake surfing and wake boarding can be manipulated to one side or the other in order to accentuate and “clean up” the wake, as the towboat passes through the water. The shape of a wake and the cleanliness of the water flow of a wake wave are often known as a “Surf Side Wake” and are critical to the wake surfer, as the shape of the wake alone propels the wake surfer, since there is no rope used to pull the wake surfer behind the boat. Any disturbance of the wake shape can be detrimental to the ability to surf the wake.

Typically, fiberglass towboat mono-hulls available in the industry utilize a molded hull with common characteristics. These characteristics include a keel that defines the centerline of the hull, and a “V” form at the bow to assist in parting the water at the bow to slice cleanly through water. Typical fiberglass towboats feature this “V” shape at the bow that can flatten out to varying degrees toward the stem, or transom, of the towboat and a hull that terminates outboard with a chine that can be inverted, flat, or simply transition to the hull side of the boat. Another typical feature is the relatively parallel design of the chines toward the aft half of the towboat. The chines transition to the sides of the towboat, which extend up to the gunwale of the vessel. Aside from style lines, design details, and slight warping of these surfaces, they are relatively parallel to the centerline of the boat, and, if not parallel, are not usually shaped in a way that affects the wake formed to the side of the boat in a manner conducive for wake surfing.

Many boats in the industry today have surf wake systems designed to create a surf wake. These surf wake systems can include upright water flow diverters at each corner of the transom of the hull, each being independently movable to extend outboard to a deployed position. A water flow diverter can deflect water that moves across a hull side and off the corner of the transom. When deployed, water flow diverters can create a -side force that can cause the transom of the towboat to yaw to the opposite side, either yawing to the left, or yawing to the right, in order to create left or right surf side wakes. Yawing to the left or the right allows the towboat to maintain a forward heading, while also pointing the bow of the towboat in a different or opposite direction. This can simultaneously place the outboard side of the hull and the chine into the water flow, and present the side of the hull to the disturbed water flow, thereby “knocking down” the waves to smooth out the wake and create an surf side wake suitable for wake surfing. Designers are careful to shape the hull bottom or running surface, which includes the chines and hull sides, to remain as close to parallel at the aft end of the towboat as possible, to allow the water flow to interact with the deployable water flow diverter devices, which are usually located at the stern corners of the hull or transom. Most planning hulls utilize this parallel chine design to enhance or improve the running or “on plane” ride characteristics.

Other wake surf systems can include a rudder configured at the aft end of the hull to yaw the towboat, as the hull moves through the water, and an amidship pivoting fin that causes the boat to yaw sideways as it propels forward in the water. This causes the outboard side of the hull and the chine to be moved into or presented to the disturbed water flow, thereby “knocking down” the waves to smooth out the wake and create an idle side wake suitable for wake surfing.

Some aftermarket wake surf systems rely on diverter devices placed to one aft side of the boat that introduce turbulence into the water flow. Devices such as this operate to “divert” water away from one side causing the stern of the boat to yaw towards the diverter device. This action changes the water flow around the towboat and creates a surf side wake on the opposite side of the towboat. Currently, industry wide wake surf systems are configured to create an asymmetrical wake suitable for wake surfing on one side of the towboat. This is because all current systems utilize different methods to yaw the stern end of the towboat sideways, while the bow of the vessel is pointed several degrees to the surfing side direction, while retaining forward motion. These devices and methods for yawing the boat sideways can create a desired surf side wake shape, but they limit surfing to the Surf side wake, which can only be created on one side of the towboat. This is because only one side of the towboat can be yawed at any one time to interact with the water flow. Consequently, there is a need for a towboat hull that can create distinctive symmetrical wake shapes adequate for wake surfing on both sides of the hull at the same time.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Embodiments of the subject invention are directed to towboat performance in creating a desired surf wake shape by controlled water flow across the vessel hull. More specifically, the subject invention is directed to devices and methods for shaping a Surf side wakes utilizing a device that controls water flow underneath and to the sides of a towboat vessel hull. Controlled shaping of the Surf side wake is achieved by a towboat hull having sides that create a surf wake that mimics those shaped by a towboat hull that has been yawed sideways.

In one embodiment, a hull side of the towboat is shaped to extend or flare the aft or transom corners further out from a centerline of the towboat, which allows the side of the hull side to have more interaction with the water flow to the hull side. This interaction can create the same surf wake created by a towboat that deploys a flow diverter to skew or yaw the towboat to the left or to the right. The shaping or flaring of the sides of the towboat hull can allow the left and right sides to independently interact with the water flow. Alternatively, flaring the vessel hull or extending both of the aft corners outwards can create dual surf side wakes on both sides of the towboat simultaneously to advantageously create symmetrical surf side wakes suitable for wake surfing.

When viewed from a plan view, the planform of a towboat of one embodiment of the subject invention resembles a planform composite of a standard vessel, with parallel sides and chines with an overlaid composite showing the standard hull yawing both left and right at the same time. In other words, a towboat hull of the subject invention has a planform that resembles the planform of two standard towboats, where one is yawed to the left and the other to the right each pivoted at the forward most point of the bow.

In keeping with the teachings of the present invention, the towboat hull sides will generally flare out so that the overall width of the vessel that interacts with the water flow will gradually increase in width toward the aft end or transom of the hull, such that the transom width can be larger than a midship beam width. In an alternative embodiment, the hull sides of the towboat are parallel to at least aft of the midpoint or midship of the towboat, at which point the hull sides will have a gradual flare towards the transom.

The flared shape can extend downward to the hull bottom or running surface that can include one or more chines. Alternatively, the flared shape can be slightly higher on the side, which will allow the flared side to interact with the water flow at slower hull speeds conducive to wake surfing, and still be able to rise out of the water flow once the vessel has attained faster speeds.

Advantageously, the embodiments of the subject invention can simulate a hull that has been skewed sideways in relation to the water as it travels forward. Thus, with the embodiments of the subject invention, it is not necessary to utilize a sideways force at the aft end of the running surface.

Alternative embodiments can utilize various types of attachments, or combinations thereof, to create the flared hull side shaping and methods to direct and propel the water flow outboard or to the sides of the hull. In one alternative embodiment, a wedge shaped flared hull device can be integrated on one or both sides of a towboat to provide an aft corner with a width sufficient to interact with the water flow in order to create an ideal Surf side wake on either or both sides of the hull.

In another alternative embodiment, a secondary structure or modular flared component with a wedge-shaped flared hull profile can be used on a towboat to create a surf side wake on either or both sides of a towboat. The modular component can be separately affixed to a conventional hull. In still other embodiments, the flared hull can be embodied in any of a variety of molded, formed, or otherwise affixable modular flared hull structures that are capable of shaping the Surf side wake on one or both sides of the hull.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a towboat having a flared hull side that can interact with the water flow at the hull side.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the towboat hull in FIG. 1 having a flared hull side that can interact with the water flow at the hull side.

FIG. 3 (prior art) is a top plan view of a standard towboat hull, without a flared hull side, shown travelling straight ahead with parallel chines on the hull sides creating a wake at each side.

FIG. 4 (prior art) is a top plan view of a towboat hull without a flared hull side, shown yawing to the left side to allow the right side of the hull to more directly interact with the water flow at that side.

FIG. 5 is a composite top plan view showing an outline or planform of a standard towboat hull, without a flared hull side, shown yawing to both the left (solid line) and right (dashed lines) sides to allow the sides of the hull to interact with the water flow to the sides. In this planform composite of the standard hulls, with parallel sides, the side hulls appear to be flared because the aft end is pivoted outboard making the transom appear wider.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a towboat hull that illustrates how a flared hull side interacts with the water flow and directs and propels the water flow outboard of the hull sides to create two idle side wakes.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the stern of the towboat in FIG. 1 shown with an integrated flared hull, capable of performing as a water flow redirector. In this embodiment, the flared hull terminates at the chine.

FIG. 8 is perspective view of the stern of the towboat in FIG. 1 shown with a flared hull integrated with the towboat hull and capable of performing as a water flow redirector. In this embodiment, the flared hull terminates above the chine.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the stern of the towboat in FIG. 1 shown with a modular flared hull component that is operably affixed to the tow boat hull structure and capable of performing as a water flow redirector. In this embodiment, the modular flared hull component terminates at or coplanar with the chine

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the stern of the towboat in FIG. 1 shown with a modular flared hull component operably affixed to the towboat hull side and capable of performing as a water flow redirector. In this embodiment, the modular flared hull component terminates above the chine.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the stern of the towboat as seen in FIG. 8 with an section line 17 that delineates the outline of the hull side, from the gunwales to the keel, including the flared hull and the chine.

FIG. 12 is a bottom right side perspective view of a multi-hull towboat vessel having flared hull sides, according to the subject invention.

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of a towboat hull having a hull side that gradually flares to each side aft of midship point. The flared sides can interact with the water flow at the hull side. The flared portion of the hull can be affixed or molded in or integrated with the hull. In this embodiment, the flared hull terminates at the chine. In another embodiment, the flared hull terminates above the chine.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE

Embodiments of the subject invention pertain to an improved hull that can shape a Surf side wake at one or both sides of a towboat. More particularly, the subject invention provides a towboat hull that has a flare towards the aft transom, such that the transom width is greater than the midship beam. In one embodiment, the transom width 14 is wider than the midship beam width 16 by at least about 2%, 3%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19%, and/or 20%. The hull flare can direct and propel the water flow across the hull sides away from the towboat and shape a surf side wake on either or both sides. The surf side wake formed by the improved hull can be advantageous for wake surfing.

The subject invention is particularly useful in the area of wake surfing and similar water sports. As the ordinary artisan can readily envision, the subject invention could also be useful for other purposes where controlling the direction or shape of water flow over a vessel hull would be useful or advantageous. Thus, while the subject invention will be described in relation to wake surfing and the formation of surf side wakes suitable therefore, the invention is not limited thereto.

The term “towboat” as used herein refers to any nautical vessel utilized to pull, tow, drag, or otherwise convey a person and a wake board or other equipment through or across the surface of a body of water.

The term “surf side wake” refers to the side of a wave that is enhanced by introducing the side of a hull into the waterflow in order to smooth out the disturbances and ripples in the water formed by the chine or side of the boat that is parallel to the waterflow. The surf side wake is formed when the peak of the wave crests or falls outward from either side of the transom of a towboat. The surf side wake has an area just ahead of the wake crest where the water is still smooth or unruffled before rising to the peak. This smooth rise in the water creates a ramp that a wake boarder can utilize to surf ahead of the wave crest.

Reference will be made to the attached figures on which the same reference numerals are used throughout to indicate the same or similar components. With reference to the attached figures, which show certain embodiments of the subject invention, it can be seen that a towboat hull 110 can have hull sides 9 that extend downward to one or more chines 7 that interact with the water at the sides of the hull. The hull sides can have a flared component 12 that can begin forward of midship 115 where the bow curves sternward 120. The hull sides can alternatively have a flared component 12 that can begin aft of midship 115. The flare provides a transom width 14 that is wider than the midship beam 16. The flared hull component 12 can be integrated or formed as part of the towboat hull. Alternatively, a modular flared hull component 13 can be operably affixed, permanently or removably, to a towboat hull. Each of these general components can have one or more sub-components, which will be discussed in detail below.

Wake surfing behind a towboat 100 requires a surf side wake 5 that is formed or shaped by a wave curling or “breaking” behind the towboat in a manner that causes the smoother water forward of the break and near the towboat to rise upwards and propel forward or towards the towboat. Wake surfing behind a towboat 100 is enhanced by a surf side wake 5 that is formed or shaped by introducing the side of the hull into the water flow in order to smooth out the ripples normally caused by the chines and hull sides interacting with the water along the length of the hull when travelling in a forward direction where the bow is pointing directly forward. When hulls are skewed sideways, the side of the hull that presents the stern of the boat to the water flow knocks down the ripples and creates an ideal surf side wake 5. Wake surfing the surf side wake ahead of the wave break allows the wake surfer to be propelled forward without a tow rope. Wake surfing requires a towboat capable of creating and maintaining a surf side wake with this specific Surf side wake shape.

The subject invention pertains to a towboat 100 having a hull 110 with hull sides 9 that can utilize the flared hull side to shape or form a surf side wake 5 advantageous for wake surfing on one or both sides of the towboat. A towboat hull of the subject invention can have flared hull sides 9, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 2 and 6 . The flared hull sides can direct and propel the idle side wake water away from the towboat to shape a surf side wake desirable for wake surfing.

With reference to the attached figures, which show specific embodiments of the subject invention, it can be seen that FIG. 1 shows a side elevation view of an embodiment of a towboat 100 having a flared hull side 9, a keel 8, and a chine 7. The flared hull side 9 can interact with the water flow moving across the flared hull side, as the towboat moves forward in the water, to lay down or “clean-up” the disturbed water wake 4 (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 ) to shape a surf side wake 5 suitable for wake surfing (as shown in FIG. 6 ).

In FIG. 2 there is shown a plan view of the towboat hull shown in FIG. 1 . In this view it can be seen that the flared hull side 9 is wider toward the stern 120, such that the transom width 14 is wider than the width of the midship beam 16. The flared hull allows the hull side to interact with and propel the water flow to the sides to form dual surf side wakes 5, as shown in FIG. 6 .

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a standard tow boat hull 110, without flared hull sides, moving in a straight forward direction 1. As shown, a standard towboat hull has parallel chines and parallel hull sides 3. The standard towboat hull, as shown, can also have one or more water flow diverters 2 operably attached to the stern 120 of the towboat that divert water to yaw the boat to the sides in order to eliminate the ruffled or disturbed water wake 4 coming off of the chines 7 that are parallel to the water flow. The parallel chines typically create disturbed water wakes 4 that are not suitable for wake surfing, as the boat moves in a forward straight path 1.

The tow boat in FIG. 4 is a plan view of a standard towboat with parallel chines and parallel hull sides 3, moving on a straight path 1. The standard towboat hull is shown with the deployable water flow diverters 2, where one on the left side is deployed outward to the hull side 3 to yaw the hull to the left side while moving on a straight forward path 1. The parallel chines and hull sides 3 create the disturbed water wakes 4 that are not suitable for wake surfing on one side as the boat travels in the forward path-1. The yawing of the hull to one side introduces or places the outside hull side 3 into the water flow at the side of the standard hull sides 3, thereby flattening out the wake, and creating a desirable surf side wake 5 on one side of the towboat.

FIG. 5 shows a composite plan view overlay of two standard tow boat hulls without a flared hull side, one that is yawing to the left (solid lines) and one to the right (shown with broken lines). As shown, if a standard towboat could yaw to both sides at the same time, the standard hull sides 3 could simultaneously interact with the water flow moving across the hull sides simultaneously creating two ideal surf side wakes 5.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of an embodiment of a tow boat hull of the subject invention with flared hull sides 9 that are nonparallel to the centerline 11. To demonstrate the hull side flare, a reference line 6 is drawn parallel to the flared hull side 9, which, in this embodiment, begins just forward of the midpoint (midship 115) of the towboat and gradually increases towards the stern 120 of the boat. It can be that the reference line 6 is nonparallel with the centerline 11 of the towboat and gradually gets further from the center line as it approaches the stern 120. Advantageously, the flared hull embodiment can mimic the overlaid standard hulls depicted in FIG. 5 , without requiring the water flow diverters 2 to be deployed, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 .

FIG. 7 is an enlarged stern view of the towboat embodiment in FIG. 1 . This view shows a flared hull component 12 integrated or formed as part of the towboat hull 110 structure (as indicated by the broken lines). In this embodiment, the flared hull component 12 is a separate component that is integrated or combined with the towboat hull to form a unified hull structure. In this figure, the flared hull component terminates at or is coplanar with the chine 7. This can provide a chine 7 that also widens towards the stern 120 in relation to the flare of the hull side 9.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 is also an enlarged stern view of the towboat in FIG. 1 and also shows a flared hull component integrated or formed as part of the structure of the towboat hull 110. In this embodiment, the flared hull sides terminate above the chine 7. While the flared hull side 9 is above the chine, it is still sufficiently below or in contact with the water line 10 (dashed line) to interact with the water flow at the side of the towboat.

FIG. 9 is another enlarged stern view of the embodiment of the tow boat in FIG. 1 . This figure shows an embodiment of a modular flared hull component 13 that is operably affixed to the structure of the tow boat hull 110. The modular flared hull component shown here terminates at or coplanar with the chine 7.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged stern view of the tow boat of FIG. 1 also shown with a modular flared hull component 13 operably affixed to the structure of the tow boat hull 110. In this embodiment, the modular flared hull component terminates at or coplanar with the chine 7.

FIG. 11 shows the towboat embodiment seen in FIG. 8 with a section line 17 on the hull 110 that shows the outward shape of a section of the hull between the keel 8 and the gunwale 115, including the flared hull side 9, the hull bottom or running surface 130, keel 8, and the chines 7. In this embodiment, the flared hull sides 9 terminate above the chines 7 on each side of the hull 110. Ruffled or disturbed water of the side wake can inhibit the shaping of a wave suitable for wake surfing. An alternative embodiment of a towboat 100 is shown in FIG. 12 that is multi hulled with multiple keels 8, and a chine 7 parallel to the keel on each outer side. In a further embodiment, there is a flared hull surface 9 arranged near or at the chine 7 that is nonparallel to the centerline 11 to provide a hull side 9 that widens towards the stern. This flared hull side 9 can smooth out ruffled or disturbed water that inhibits formation of surf side wakes. In another embodiment, shown in a plan view in FIG. 13 the aft sides of the hull just forward of the transom can be nonparallel to the centerline 11. More specifically, the hull sides 9 can have a gradual outboard flare that begins aft of the midship 115 of the towboat. Advantageously, the shorter flared hull embodiment can provide advantages of a standard hull with parallel hull sides and chines, but also allow the towboat to create simultaneous surf side wakes 5. The transom width 14 of the flared hull sides is wide enough to completely cover or lay down the disturbed water wake created by the chines of the boat as it travels through the water.

EMBODIMENTS

Embodiment 1. A towboat hull, configured for wake surfing, comprising:

-   a hull side that is flared towards a transom of the towboat and is     nonparallel to a centerline of the hull, such that a transom width     is greater than a midship beam width of the towboat hull; and -   a running surface having at least one chine.

Embodiment 2. The towboat hull according to embodiment 1, wherein the hull side terminates above the chine.

Embodiment 3. The towboat hull according to embodiment 1, wherein the hull side terminates coplanar with the chine.

Embodiment 4. The towboat hull according to embodiment 1, wherein the hull side is modular and is operably affixable to the towboat.

Embodiment 5. The towboat hull according to embodiment 1, wherein the transom has a transom width that is at least about 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19% or 20% larger than a width of a midship beam.

Embodiment 6. A method for shaping a wake, configured for wake surfing, at a side of a towboat, the method comprising:

-   obtaining a towboat comprising,     -   a left hull side and a right hull side that are each flared         towards a transom of the towboat and that are each nonparallel         to a centerline of the hull, such that a transom width is         greater than a midship beam of the towboat hull; and     -   a running surface having at least one chine; and -   moving the towboat in a forward direction at a speed that causes     water flow across the left hull side and the right hull side to be     propelled away from the sides of the towboat, -   such that, when the water is propelled away from the towboat, it     forms a wave shaped for wake surfing.

Embodiment 7. The method according to embodiment 6, wherein the left hull side and right hull side terminate above the chine.

Embodiment 8. The method according to embodiment 6, wherein the left hull side and the right hull side terminate coplanar with the chine.

Embodiment 9. The method according to embodiment 6, wherein the left hull side and the right hull side are modular and are operably affixable to the towboat.

Embodiment 10. The method according to embodiment 6, wherein the transom has a transom width that is at least about 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19% or 20% larger than a width of a midship beam. 

1. A towboat hull, configured for wake surfing, comprising: a hull side that is flared towards a transom of the towboat and is nonparallel to a centerline of the hull, such that a transom width is greater than a midship beam width of the towboat hull; and a running surface having at least one chine.
 2. The towboat hull according to claim 1, wherein the hull side terminates above the chine.
 3. The towboat hull according to claim 1, wherein the hull side terminates coplanar with the chine.
 4. The towboat hull according to claim 1, wherein the hull side is modular and is operably affixable to the towboat.
 5. The towboat hull according to claim 1, wherein the transom has a transom width that is at least about 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19% or 20% larger than a width of a midship beam.
 6. A method for shaping a wake, configured for wake surfing, at a side of a towboat, the method comprising: obtaining a towboat comprising, a left hull side and a right hull side that are each flared towards a transom of the towboat and that are each nonparallel to a centerline of the hull, such that a transom width is greater than a midship beam of the towboat hull; and a running surface having at least one chine; and moving the towboat in a forward direction at a speed that causes water flow across the left hull side and the right hull side to be propelled away from the sides of the towboat, such that, when the water is propelled away from the towboat, it forms a wave shaped for wake surfing.
 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the left hull side and right hull side terminate above the chine.
 8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the left hull side and the right hull side terminate coplanar with the chine.
 9. The method according to claim 6, wherein the left hull side and the right hull side are modular and are operably affixable to the towboat.
 10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the transom has a transom width that is at least about 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 11%, 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%, 16%, 17%, 18%, 19% or 20% larger than a width of a midship beam. 